While the playoffs are unfolding in as exciting an atmosphere in recent NBA memory, there are still some significant questions that remain unanswered, namely who the regular season award-winners should and will be. With almost every award up in the air, the chief exception being Rookie of the Year, who will undoubtedly be Hornet’s point guard Chris Paul, this year’s awards will certainly be an interesting debate. This argument includes one of the deepest MVP races in decades, fielding about half a dozen worthy candidates. Here’s my take on this year’s best of the best.
Dirk Nowiztki, Dallas Mavericks. Call it my Maverick bias but what Dirk has done with this Mavs team outshines all the other candidates. This is the team that lost Steve Nash, who is now suddenly considered as God’s gift to basketball and a favorite to repeat as MVP, and Michael Finley, who was their unquestioned leader, and still won 60 games, good for the third best record in the NBA. Dirk has been consistent all season long in providing not just points and rebounds (26 and nine a game, 28 and 10 since the All-Star Break), but in filling the leadership void left by the departure of Nash and Finley. Dirk has come through for the Mavs more than any other player for his respective team. Dirk doesn’t have a sidekick like Shawn Marion or Lamar Odom or Sam Cassel or Shaquille O’Neal or a starting five as talented as the Detroit Pistons. Dirk has DeSagana Diop and Adrian Griffin in his starting lineup. His most talented sidekick is Josh Howard. These are names that some basketball fans have never even heard of. Dirk doesn’t have Phil Jackson or Pat Riley. Dirk isn’t playing in the weaker Eastern Conference. Dirk has a rookie coach in Avery Johnson and, up until the last week of the season, had his Mavs battling defending champs San Antonio for the best record in the West. Take away Dirk from the Mavericks, and they wouldn’t even win 45. He may not be the most popular vote (that goes to Kobe, LeBron and Nash), but he certainly makes the most sense.
Runners-up: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers; LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers; Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns; Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat; Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons.
Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns. I initially said Tony Parker, but what Diaw has done has been nothing short of incredible. He is only one of three players averaging at least 10 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game. The other two are top-tier guys in LeBron James and Jason Kidd. Diaw is doing well after a season with the Atlanta Hawks where he averaged 5 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists. He’s also a big reason why the Suns are still among the top teams despite missing Amare Stoudemire for all but three games of the season. The 6’8 Diaw has been starting at center in Stoudemire’s absence and has been effective as the Suns’ post setup man.
Runners-up: Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs; Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic; Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors; David West, New Orleans Hornets.
| Defensive Player Of The Year |
Bruce Bowen, San Antonio Spurs. It’s about time he won this award after regularly shutting down the game’s premier players, especially since he’s only getting older. He deserves it after being the Spurs’ unsung hero for the past few years. Sure, Big Ben Wallace has better stats and a better team record, but the guy has won the award like three times already and his contributions aren’t that much more significant than Bowen, if at all. Bowen is the best perimeter defender in the league and he deserves the recognition.
Runners-up: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons; Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz; Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets; Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns.
Mike Miller, Grizzlies. It helps that most of his competition, Jerry Stackhouse, Maurice Williams and Alonzo Mourning have all missed significant time due to injuries. Mike Miller has been the most consistent sixth man this season, averaging 15 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench. He’s also the only sixth man with a triple double this season.
Runners-up: Maurice Williams, Milwaukee Bucks; Jerry Stackhouse, Dallas Mavericks; Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat.
Scott Skiles, Chicago Bulls. I’m picking him again this year. His effect on this young Bulls team has been so positive that he managed to squeeze two consecutive playoff berths from a team that is too young and too small and too reliant on the outside shot to be in contention. After the departure of Eddy Curry, nobody expected the Bulls to sniff anything close to a playoff spot, but here they are, 7th in the East. Skiles deserves credit for the great job he has done with his young players. Imagine what this guy could do with a more talented team.
Runners-up: Flip Saunders, Detroit Pistons; Mike D’Antoni, Phoenix Suns; Mike Dunleavy, Los Angeles Clippers; Avery Johnson, Mavericks; Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers.
For questions, comments or corrections, please e-mail me at emailcarlramirez@yahoo.com.
